Fuel lids shield fuel filler ports on automobiles and other vehicles. The fuel lids are generally attached to vehicle bodies via hinges. Patent Literature 1 discloses an opening and closing apparatus that opens or closes a fuel lid through the forward-backward movement of a shaft-shaped push rod along the axis of the rod. The push rod moves forward or backward between a depression position for closing the fuel lid and a projection position for opening the fuel lid, and rotate in the direction of rotation centered the axis of the push rod while moving forward or backward. The push rod has a latching segment at a front end, whereas the fuel lid has a latching-object segment at a section corresponding to the latching segment. While the push rod is at the depression position, the latching segment engages with the latching-object segment of the fuel lid. While the push rod is in a process of moving toward the projection position, the push rod and the latching segment rotate so as to disengage the latching segment from the latching-object segment of the fuel lid.
The opening and closing apparatus of Patent Literature 1 includes a locking mechanism (FIGS. 11 and 12) for locking the forward-backward movement of the push rod. The locking mechanism gets a locking member to engage with the push rod by a motor. This configuration prevents the push rod from moving forward and backward. The locking by the locking mechanism prevents the push rod from moving forward and backward, and the fuel lid from opening even if the fuel lid is operated.